Loneliness

Feeling lonely doesn’t necessarily mean you have no one nearby. You may be surrounded by friends and family but still feel lonely.

Loneliness is unique to every individual. It can have different causes and different consequences for each and every one of us.

You may be lonely for a number of reasons:

perhaps you’ve recently lost a loved one

moved away from your family and or friends

lost the social connections you used to get from work

are having to care for a family member and have lost touch with those you used to meet.

have health problems that make it difficult for you to go out and do the things you enjoy.

You are not alone.

1.4 million older people in th UK feel cut off from society. It's important to know that you're not alone. Your local Age UK Isle Of Wight is here.

Over recent years Age UK Isle of Wight has gained a greater understanding of the impact loneliness has on our health.

We now know that, for example, the effect of loneliness and isolation can be as harmful to our health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Loneliness is associated with depression, sleep problems, hypertension, impaired cognitive health, heightened vascular resistance, psychological stress and mental health problems.

If you are lonely it is important to take steps to try and make new connections. We can help you with this.